This invention relates to hair curling devices which are catalytically heated. More particularly, this invention relates to a curling device or curling iron which includes automatic temperature regulating means for the flow of vaporized fuel.
Prior art curling devices including catalysts are well known, e.g. British Pat. No. 419,825; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,997,869; 3,563,251; and 3,913,592. These devices lacked automatic temperature control rendering them unsuitable.
In a co-pending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 047,351, issued on Feb. 3, 1981 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,208 a catalytically heated curling device with automatic temperature control is described. In a specific embodiment in the co-pending case, the automatic temperature control system includes a typical bi-metal element which bends in response to increased temperature of the heating chamber until the bi-metal element is physically obstructed from bending by the inside of the heating chamber.
The specific embodiment of the co-pending application made it difficult to precisely and repeatably control the positioning of the associated valve stem and accordingly the temperature of the curling iron.
The present invention provides an automatic temperature control system which overcomes the difficulties associated with the prior art temperature systems while also providing a manual off override, all in a simple, straightforward manner.